Art of wise living

Do we have likes and dislikes or do likes and dislikes have us? As unconscious beings, likes and dislikes control our lives.

Conscious beings are masters of likes and dislikes. When likes and dislikes are under your control, they will serve you and in such a state, you are not messed up. Likes and dislikes are not the problem. However, do they control your life, or are you controlling them, is the real question.

It is wrong to say that we have to live only in the present. One needs to consider time as past, present and future. Some people are past oriented - mostly they operate from the past. Some are future oriented - mostly they operate from the future and some are present oriented - mostly operating from the present. To be wise, involves balancing time... when required you have to take reference from the past or consider the future.

Do not reject the past or future. Also do not live only in the past or future. Learn from the past, enjoy the present and plan for the future. Be present in the past and thereby learn from the past, be present in the future, thereby plan for the future. Being alive in the present, you will enjoy the present. It is said that, one of the reasons Hitler lost the war was because he did not learn from history. He attacked Russia in winter. Had he learnt from history, he would have known that Napoleon had lost many of his men by attacking Russia in winter.

One can learn from the past as well as from the future taking care not to be imprisoned by both. Similarly, while planning for the future, do not lose the present and miss the wisdom of the past or the opportunities in the future. Hence, one needs to be balanced with reference to time.

Swami Sukhabodhananda is founder-chairman of Prasanna Trust and a spiritual leader